Era(s)

Affiliation

"Wayrest is one of the most glorious cities of western Tamriel: sparkling in her contemporary beauty, lustrous by her past. She is prized above all cities in High Rock -- no other city has contributed, and continues to contribute so much to the culture of the Bretons."

Wayrest or the Jewel of the Bay is one of the eight major kingdoms in the province of High Rock and is the capital of the Menevia region and the Stormhaven region of High Rock. Wayrest is the metropolitan capital of the Iliac Bay and started as a humble fishing village on the Bjoulsae Estuary.

The city of Wayrest itself is a marvelous city that takes a significant portion of the Stormhaven coast. It is well-protected with massive walls surrounding the entire city, the Wayrest Sewers are vast and have entrances throughout the Inner City River. Wayrest is divided into several districts. The Residential District of Wayrest takes up the northeastern portion is where many of the nobility resides. Several manors in the area include Gardner House and Woodborne Hall. The Merchant District is where many folks have set up stands, selling their wares from as far as Daggerfall and Woodhearth. The Temple of the Divines is west of the market and is surrounded by a cemetery. The Wayrest Treasury is just east of the market and is crossable via a bridge from the market. Castle Wayrest is south of the market and it overlooks the area. Further down is the Mages Guild Hall and the Chironasium, a large hall of enchanting. The Wayrest Docks have various warehouses and has ships coming places such as Sentinel and Lainlyn.

The Bretons of Wayrest celebrate the South Wind's Prayer on the 15th of Morning Star. It is a day to pray to the Gods for a bountiful harvest and it is for citizens who cannot afford healing from the local temple to get healed from an ailment.[OOG 1]

The Bretons of Wayrest celebrate Heart's Day on the 16th of Sun's Dawn. It is in honor of a legend passed down from generation to generation about a couple named Polydor and Eloisa. Every Inn in Tamriel become free for visitors arriving into town.[OOG 1]

The Bretons of Wayrest celebrate the First Planting on the 7th of First Seed. It is the day that begins the harvest, where neighbors reconcile their difference, bad habits are dropped, and the clerics heal people for free.[OOG 1]

The Bretons of Wayrest celebrate the Second Planting on the 7th of Second Seed. The holiday is ideally the same holiday as First Planting, to improve one’s soul, and to improve relationships with others.[OOG 1]

The Bretons of Wayrest celebrate the Mid Year Celebration on the 16th of Mid Year. A day to distract everyone from the increased taxes. It is a day celebrating the halfway mark in the year, where many warriors feel blessed and venture to dungeons they normally cannot defeat.[OOG 1]

The Bretons of Wayrest celebrate Sun's Rest on the 20th of Sun's Height. It is a day when the workers of Tamriel take a day to relax, businesses across town are closed in observance of this day. Some people have to have to leave the province to actually buy something.[OOG 1]

The Bretons of Wayrest celebrate Harvest's End on the 27th of Last Seed. It is the final day of the harvest and it is where the people eat the crops they have grown since the First Planting. Travelers are given the option to join a farmer’s family for a feast.[OOG 1]

The Bretons of Wayrest celebrate Tales and Tallows on the 3rd of Hearthfire. It is the day of superstition where the elderly do not speak for an entire day, in fear of evil spirits entering their body. The Mages of Tamriel favor this day since it is a day to study the oldest forms of magic.[OOG 1]

The Bretons of Wayrest celebrate the Witches' Festival on the 13th of Frostfall. A day where the creepy ghouls and creatures of the night gather to terrorize the denizens of Tamriel. Many have not dared to wander the streets at night, in fear of being nabbed by a creature.[OOG 1]

The Bretons of Wayrest celebrate the Warriors Festival on the 20th of Sun's Dusk. It is a day where many warriors gather to practice their fighting prowess. Travelers by weapons in stores since their price's drop by half. Young children foolishly buy weapons, only to stab themselves by mistake.[OOG 1]

The Bretons of Wayrest celebrate the North Wind's Prayer on the 15th of Evening Star. It serves as a thanksgiving to the Gods for the year's harvest. It is a day when the local temples heal and bless anyone for a lower price.[OOG 1]

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The Bretons of High Rock villages celebrate Scour Day on the 2nd of Morning Star, serving as a second party after the New Life Festival, even though this day is when everyone cleans up after the initial celebration.

The Bretons of High Rock celebrate Flower Day on the 25th of First Seed, where the Children would pick new flowers from the spring while older Bretons would come out from home and dance the night away.

The Bretons of the Iliac Bay celebrate Fishing Day on the 30th of Second Seed. Bretons become so loud and rambunctious that it scares the fishes for weeks, which is odd since the Bretons are not usually so flamboyant.

The Bretons of Wayrest celebrate the New Life Festival by incorporating another holiday called Saturalia, which is held on the 25th of Evening Star. It was once about a long forgotten god of debauchery, but now it has become a holiday of gift exchange and merriment.[OOG 2]

Saturalia Bitter Mulled Wine – This is an alcoholic beverage served during the celebration of Saturalia, which is held during the waning days of Evening Star. Mulled Wine is made from Red Wine and a combination of several spices such as Cinnamon and Nutmeg.[OOG 3]

The foundation of Wayrest remains to be an enigma to this day since it started as a humble fishing village where the Bjoulsae River meets the Iliac Bay. Sometime around 1E 800, the denizens of Wayrest were constantly harassed by the Orsimer of the nearby Orsinium, Orcish Raiders consisted of members of Clan Bagrakh. The Bjoulsae Raids was orchestrated by Clan Igron and was considered the catalyst of the eventual Siege of Orsinium. In 1E 948, King Joile of Daggerfall sent an important letter to Gaiden Shinji, leader of the Order of Diagna about the recent raids as well as Orsinium's recent growth. Several years in 1E 980, King Joile and Gaiden Shinji advanced into Wrothgar for the Siege of Orsinium. After the battle, Wayrest began to flourish and become a Kingdom among the Iliac Bay. Many traveling from Bangkorai and Wrothgar had to travel through the Eastern Bjoulsae and Wayrest making the village a welcome rest, hence the name. Wayrest and the kingdoms of Daggerfall and Sentinel established the Masconian Trade Way, a trading system across the Iliac that established strong relations across the sea.[1]

In 1E 1100, the Kingdom of Wayrest was fully-established under the leadership of the Gardner Dynasty, with their first ruler being Farangel Gardner. The Gardners was a wealthy family well established before the Siege of Orsinium. Gardner Castle was built on the High Rock side of the Bjoulsae, and small businesses were created within the walls. Farangel Gardner was officially proclaimed the King of Wayrest when the settlement began to accept ambassadors from the Camoran Dynasty. The Kingdom of Wayrest was created among the Iliac Bay in 1E 1100. Members of the Gardner Family was involved in the Siege of Orsinium and were a part of the Court of Daggerfall under Joile.[1][2]

For quite some time, the Kingdoms of High Rock were peaceful among one another, ever since the Battle of Granden Tor. The city of Wayrest was still under the leadership of the Gardner Dynasty, long after Farangel and his ancestors, such as Aphren Gardner. King Gardner of Wayrest had ruled Wayrest along with other merchant families such as the House Cumberland and the House Horley. Around this time in 2E 541, Durcorach the Black Drake of the Western Reach invaded the Kingdoms of High Rock in the attempt to control the province. The Black Drake's Invasion had assaulted the Bangkorai region and the city of Evermore. Moving southwards, they invaded the city of Hallin's Stand and continued into the Bjoulsae and Stormhaven. The denizens of Alcaire, Menevia, and Gavaudon had fled to the city of Wayrest to escape the constant raids along the Wrothgarian Mountains. Eventually, the Black Drake had arrived on the outskirts of Wayrest and commenced the Siege of Wayrest.[3]

The Siege of Wayrest lasted for fifty-seven days which is approximately two months. The Reachmen lacked any substantial weaponry that was able to besiege the city. They had no siege weapons to breach the outer walls on the Menevia front, and they had no warships to create blockade onto Wayrest. The attack was merely a diversion so that the Black Drake can take the cities of Glenumbra, more specifically, the city of Daggerfall. King Gardner tasked Emeric of House Cumberland, to lead a Wayrester Armada to the city of Daggerfall, to aid the denizens of Daggerfall and to defeat the Black Drake. King Bergamot of Daggerfall led a defensive force consisting of Daggerfall's finest and the Knights of the Dragon. Emeric advanced into the Daenia forest with an army of Heavy Dragoons. The Battle of Daggerfall was fought on two fronts and was eventually resolved when Emeric killed Durcorach with his steel sword. High Rock was quickly overwhelmed by an army of barbarians from the east and needed to come together, to fight against a future threat that may harm the denizens of Bretony. The Kingdoms of Wayrest, Daggerfall, Evermore, Camlorn, and Shornhelm banded together to form the first iteration of the Daggerfall Covenant.[3][4]

The Daggerfall Covenant had potential to be so much more, something that goes beyond Greater Bretony or even the Iliac Bay as a whole. This was Emeric's goal when he became the King of Wayrest in 2E 563 after his bravery against Durcorach the Black Drake and the death of the Gardner Dynasty from the Knahaten Flu in 2E 560. Emeric was thinking about a queen, someone to rule alongside him in Wayrest. Initially, Emeric was given the choice of Princess Rayelle, the Princess of Shornhelm and daughter of King Ranser Branquette. Ranser Branquette was notorious among the Kings of High Rock when he fought for the title of King of Rivenspire from his young brother, Phylgeon Montclair. Ranser was ruthless and is very stubborn, capable of very atrocious things. Emeric was about to marry Rayelle had he not travel to the city of Sentinel and met Princess Maraya, daughter of King Fahara'jad. Emeric married Maraya in the spring of 2E 566, and it established the Greater Daggerfall Covenant with the Province of Hammerfell. Ranser was furious that his daughter was denied by a Redguard, he withdrew his ambassador from Wayrest and did not attend the wedding. A storm was brewing in Rivenspire and war was in the air. The year of 2E 566 was the beginning of King Ranser's Civil War.[4][5]

King Ranser assembled the three great houses of Rivenspire to attack the city of Wayrest and subsequently the Daggerfall Covenant. The Houses of Dorell, Montclair, and Tamrith joined together to fight alongside Ranser and Shornhelm against the Daggerfall Covenant. Baron Phylgeon Montclair tried to become the neutral envoy in the civil war, Emeric's response was unknown while Ranser's angry refusal was well known across the Rivenspire Countryside. The Montclair Knights would join Ranser in his assault on Wayrest. Ranser's army moved into the Alcaire fiefdom and entered the Menevia fiefdom to arrive into the Wayrest Outskirts and began the Siege of Wayrest. The Shornhelm Guard was swarming the Wayrest gates while the local militia was holding them back. Emeric and his Cumberland Guard fought the Oldgate Lancers from the fortress of Oldgate, he used a powerful blade called the Orichalc Scalpel. Emeric and his enchanted broadsword were able to push back the Oldgate Lancers, his troops were behind the wall preparing for Ranser's attack, who came with siege weapons.[5]

Ranser was defeated at the Battle of Markwasten Moor when he was killed by General Dathieu after the constant conflict. Emeric had sent an ambassador named Zephrine Frey to King Kurog gro-Bagrakh, leader of the Orcs. Frey had traveled with Kurog for several months and was present with him when he attempted to move to Falkreath Hold and to establish the new iteration of Yashnag's Chiefdom. Frey told Kurog about Ranser's War and that he needed help to defeat them. Kurog and his militia of Orcs would defeat Ranser's army at Markwasten Moor. After the conflict, Emeric embraced Kurog's Wrothgar and made them a part of the Daggerfall Covenant. The Covenant had become an incredibly powerful force that rivals the likes of the Reman Empire from the first era and the alliances it would soon fight in a war of three banners.[4][6][7]

During the Interregnum in 2E 582, the city of Wayrest was the capital of the Daggerfall Covenant and leading the helm was High King Emeric of Cumberland and his wife, Queen Maraya of Sentinel. The Stormhaven region has seen a sudden insurgency of Daedra occurrences, from as far as the Alcairian fields to the Gavaudanian riverbank. The Supernal Dreamers are a group of worshippers to Vaermina, the Daedric Prince of Dreams and Nightmares. Various figures present in Stormhaven were possessed by Omens of terror ranging from the Omen of Blood in Menevia to the Omen of Betrayal in Gavaudon. Vaermina uses a powerful entity called the Night Terror to ensnare Emeric into a never-ending nightmare, causing him to undertake severe decision that may result to the end of the Daggerfall Covenant. The Vestige, an agent of Emeric and the Covenant, traveled into Emeric's dream and defeated the Night Terror. The battle opened a gateway to Quagmire, the Daedric Plane of Oblivion to Vaermina. It was there that the Vestige met Vaermina, deep within the clouds of Quagmire, Vaermina withdrew from Stormhaven and Emeric was saved from her influence. Emeric continued to rule the Daggerfall Covenant and Wayrest.[8]

High King Emeric would bring upon a new dynasty of Kings into Wayrest called the Cumberland Dynasty. This dynasty would last for several years into the Interregnum and would leave a mark on the history of the Western World, the central square of Wayrest would be named Cumberland Square, in honor of Emeric and his descendants. The Cumberlands would eventually fall, and a new dynasty takes its place in the Kingdom of Wayrest, not much is known about the Horley Dynasty, but they left a significant mark on the province to be mentioned in history. Like the Gardners and the Cumberlands before, non of the Horley leaders would be assassinated by rival politicians. The Horleys would eventually be dissolved of their power, and the Septim Empire would step in and take control of Wayrest. This occurred when the province of High Rock was integrated into the Septim Empire when Tiber Septim became Emperor of Tamriel and united the provinces in 2E 896.[1][9]

When Katariah Septim ruled over the Empire, Cassynder Septim, Katariah's child was the leader of Wayrest. Cassynder had controlled Wayrest for years but was forced to retire because of poor health; he would soon retire from the throne and pass it to his half-brother, Uriel Septim IV. After Katariah died in Black Marsh, Cassynder had to assume the throne and become the Emperor of Tamriel. Cassynder would later die from illness, being the last descendant of Tiber Septim. Uriel IV was not related to Tiber Septim nor Cassynder; he has conceived after Pelagius III's death on Betony, his father was Gallivere Lariat, Katariah's Breton consort from the city of Shornhelm. Uriel ruled after Cassynder and did so for several years. He would face a constant clash with the Elder Council over certain decisions since he was not a direct descendant, he was not given full rights. He would be succeeded by Cephorus Septim II.[11][12]

During the Imperial Simulacrum from 3E 389 to 3E 399, EmperorUriel Septim VII was imprisoned along with Talin Warhaft in the Deadlands by Jagar Tharn. Tharn planned for months to capture the throne, and he was able to achieve so in the span of ten years. Tharn had a powerful weapon called the Staff of Chaos, and he split it into nine pieces and scattered them across Tamriel, the staff was the only thing keeping Uriel Septim and Warhaft in Oblivion. A warrior escaped his clutches and traveled all corners of Tamriel to retrieve the missing pieces. The hero was known as the Eternal Champion, and he assembled the staff and defeated Jagar Tharn at the Imperial Palace. The Eternal Champion had at one point visited the city of Wayrest in their quest to recover the pieces. The city of Wayrest was under the rule of King Tristore.[13]

In 3E 399 in the waning years of the Simulacrum, an area nestled within the Wrothgarian Mountains were claimed by Lord Bowyn of Wayrest and was sought out by Clan Minat, an Orcish Clan of Wrothgar. Bowyn was challenged by Gortwog gro-Nagorm for the rights of the pocket realm in the mountains. Both Bowyn and Nagorm had equal rights on the land and the papers to back it up, the only way to settle this in civilized Wayrest is through a duel. The duel had Gortwog choose the equipment while it had Bowyn choose the location. The duel was to take place at Lord Berylth's Palace in Wayrest, and they were to use Orcish Armor created by the finest smiths in Wayrest. Bowyn initially was unable to move around in orcish armor; he was trained by an Orcish servant of Berylith named Old Tunner, who was once a part of the Cursed Legion of High Rock. Eventually, Bowyn mastered the armor but ultimately lost to Gortwog. The land was named Orsinium in honor of the Orcs that came before, to bring upon the dream of Orsinium again.[14]

King Lysandus was killed during the Battle of Cryngaine Field; rumor has it that King Camaron shot the man while others believed that Gortwog gro-Nagorm assassinated him amidst the fog. Before the Warp in the West, Uriel Septim VII sent an agent to respond to the sudden appearance of Lysandus' spirit. The Agent had met with Medora Direnni, Lysandus' personal sorceress, who was imprisoned in Direnni Tower by Mynisera, the Dowager Queen of Daggerfall. Medora tasks the champion to travel to Lysandus' Tomb in the Fiefdom of Menevia and to uncover the real assassin of her former lover. Lysandus' Spirit spoke to the champion and revealed that Lord Woodborne had assassinated him. Woodborne was Princess Elysana's lover and would inherit the throne of Wayrest if Helseth Hlaalu was dealt with in some way. He sought the aid of King Lysandus, but he refused the offer. Woodborne used Nagorm's Orsimer to assassinate the King and to send him to Tamarilyn Point, where he would be buried. The Spirit of Lysandus sent the agent to the city of Wayrest, to even the odds with Woodborne. The Agent arrived at Woodborne Hall and confronted the noble. Woodborne and the agent fought valiantly until he was defeated. It was at that moment, Lysandus had been avenged, and his spirit returned into Aetherius.[17][18][OOG 4]

Eadwyre was one of the seven people to miraculously come to the possession of the Totem of Tiber Septim after the Blades of Castle Llugwych took the totem from Castle Daggerfall. The event known as the Warp in the West occurred when the Agent traveled to the Mantellan Crux in the planes of Aetherius to retrieve the Mantella and to jumpstart the Numidium. After the event, the Agent was sent into a timeline, causing their death in all timelines. The Warp produced the several timelines to combine into a single outcome. Eadwyre used his newfound power to make the Kingdom of Wayrest, the one region to rule all of the Iliac. The actual result had the Kingdom of Wayrest stretch across the central coast of the Iliac Bay, from the Eastern Fiefdom of Anticlere to the Fiefdom of Gavaudon. The Kingdom of Daggerfall stretched from the northern coast to Western Anticlere and the Fiefdom of Ykalon. The Iliac Bay went from twenty-three different regions to merely four regions of Daggerfall, Sentinel, Orsinium, and Wayrest.[19][20]

After the Warp in the West, the Kingdom of Wayrest flourished and was at peace with the other nations in the Iliac Bay. Barenziah, Helseth, and Morgiah moved on from Wayrest and traveled beyond the province. Barenziah and Helseth returned to the city of Mournhold in Morrowind, where Helseth became the King of Morrowind, after the death of King Athyn Llethan. Morgiah moved to the city of Firsthold and married King Reman Karoodil. Elysana inherited the throne from Eadwyre, as the first-born child of Eadwyre. During her reign, Elysana was feared across the land and had to outmaneuver Helseth, who had a reputation for being cunning in his pursuits. Elysana allied with Gortwog gro-Nagorm and the attempt to control the region. She would continue to rule over Wayrest, into the Oblivion Crisis and the Fourth Era.[21]

Sometime after the Great War, the Kingdom of Wayrest was ruled by King Barynia, his relation to Elysana is unknown, but is likely not to be related. Barynia had a shaky reign in Wayrest, he was very anxious, and many politicians in the region wanted a change in the Kingdom. The Temple of the Divines was re-purposed as a Temple of Akatosh and the Order of the Hour occupied the temple. In response to all of the backlash to him, Barynia opened the ports of Wayrest to anyone coming from the Iliac Bay, this brought in Corsairs into the city and caused the Invasion of Wayrest in 4E 188. Barynia hired the Corsairs to attack Wayrest, to kill the opposition. He planned to escape Wayrest via ship but was encountered by the Dark Brotherhood. His fate was unknown, he either escaped with the promise of land or was assassinated on the spot. The Wayrest Sanctuary was discovered by the Corsairs, they raided the sanctuary and destroyed the Brotherhood chapter in Wayrest. The only ones remaining were the Cheydinhal chapter and the Falkreath chapter.[22][23]